Take to the Sky was commissioned by the South Australian Public Primary Schools Festival of Music in 2013. It is the finale to the song cycle ‘Flight’, a piece that captures the romance, history and spirit of flight. As children, we all looked out the window at the clouds, dreaming of flying through them; we all wanted to jump off the garage roof; we all wanted to feel what it was like to be a bird. The romance of flight continues through our life – The first time we flew in an airplane, the first time we put on a leather jacket; the wind in our hair, the freedom, the danger, the mystery and the far away places. The smell of aviation fuel, the roar of the motors, the endless sky, the speed and heights we reach.
We also honour our aviation pioneers. The middle section of the piece reads like a scroll through time. Each line of lyric is another key moment in the history of flight from across the world. We acknowledge the Middle East, Asia, Europe, the Americas, Australia and more. Each name in this section is something the choir can research to inspire many lessons. The climax of this section is our journey into space itself.
We recommend performing the entire song cycle ‘FLIGHT’. Other pieced available are Jetman, Lady of the Sky and Icarus. All pieces are available with orchestra.
Sample audio recording courtesy of the South Australian Public Primary Schools Festival of Music